10 Most Expensive Cities in the World For Students to Study Abroad

Some of the best universities in the world are located in the most expensive cities worldwide. If you are planning to study abroad, then it is important to know the list of costliest cities in the world for students so you can plan your finances in the early stage.

Studying abroad is indeed slightly expensive for Indian students. Most of the top ranked universities are located in some of the costliest cities in the world. These cities are expensive because of the high cost of living. The cost of studying abroad is one of the prime factors to consider when it comes to choosing a destination for higher studies.

According to Numbeo's "Cost of Living Index by City 2026 Mid-Year" Report, Zurich, George Town, Lucerne, Basel, Geneva, Lungano, St.Gallen, Bern, and Honolulu are the top 10 most expensive cities in the world for abroad studies in 2026.

Students need to have a hefty amount to cover their living expenses in these cities. In this blog, we will mention a list of the 10 most expensive cities in the world for studying abroad in 2026. Also, you’ll get to know about the best universities in that country for international students.

World’s Most Expensive Cities for Studying Abroad

The data lists the estimated monthly costs for a single person without rent, converted directly into Indian Rupees (INR) to help you budget for everyday essentials like groceries, utilities, local transport, and dining out.

Estimated Monthly Living Costs for Students (Excluding Rent)

Student Tip: Seven out of these nine cities are located in Switzerland. While Swiss cities consistently rank among the most expensive globally, universities there generally offer much lower tuition fees for international students compared to the US or UK, which can help balance out your total budget.

Key Factors Determining Cost in Top Study Abroad Cities

The cost of studying in a country depends on various factors that affect the overall budget. Tuition fees, living costs, travelling expenses and health insurance are the majorly key factors. All play a big part in deciding the budget for studying abroad. It is known to all that tuition fees can be different for each university and country.

The living expenses, such as accommodation rent, will not be the same for living inside the city or outside. Health insurance is an integral part of the total cost of studying outside India. If a student falls ill or is injured during their studies in another nation, then health insurance covers the total medical expense.

Most Expensive Countries to Study Abroad 2026

Below, we have mentioned a list of the costliest countries in the world for higher studies. The table mentioned below has information about a range of tuition fees for UG and PG courses in these countries. These key insights will help you create a financial plan for studying abroad.

How to Study in Most Expensive Cities in the World?

There is no doubt that you need a good amount to study in the best universities located in the costliest cities in the world. Below, we have mentioned some of the popular scholarships to study abroad for Indian students. This list will include government and private scholarships with other related details.

1. The Ministry of Education of India offers Commonwealth Scholarship for the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Israel, China, Japan and more countries.
2. GREAT Scholarships (UK)
3. Manmohan Singh Scholarships (UK)
4. Global Study Awards (USA)
5. Tata Scholarship (USA)

Tips to Study in Costliest Cities in the World

You must have some financial planning to manage or save money while studying abroad. We have mentioned some of the most popular and tried tips to minimise the cost.

1. Choose Shared Accommodation, such as shared apartments or student dormitories
2. Plan your budget at the beginning of the month
3. Learn cooking
4. Use student discounts (If available) or shop during the sale
5. Find Part-time work opportunities
6. Use PDFs or digital copies of books
7. Choose free entertainment events
8. Get health insurance

Financial planning will help students align with their cash flow and expenses. Students will be focused on their studies as they won't spend hours managing expenses, Best tool to avoid extra expenses.

Top Reasons Behind the Increasing Cost of Living

New York, London, Geneva, and Singapore are the costliest cities in the world for Indian students due to the higher currency value and the high cost of living. House rent, grocery, and travel costs are the major expenses for expats living in the cities mentioned above.

Below, we have mentioned some key points that will help you to understand the reason behind the increasing living expenses in these cities.

• Tokyo is the costliest city in Japan and the third in Asia. The expensive living expenses in Tokyo recently surged, which is making Tokyo expensive to live as a student.
• Due to the ongoing Hamas-Israel War, the price of groceries increased. According to the Times of Israel, the cost of living accelerated by 5% inflation, and house prices increased by 20% (before the war).

Cheapest Countries in the World for Students to Study Abroad

Now, it is time to know some of the cheapest countries in the world for study abroad. Below, we have mentioned the top 7 nations across the world that are most affordable for Indian students to study abroad. Subsidized education and lower currency value are the key reasons behind the affordability of these countries. Check the list

1. Norway
2. Malaysia
3. Spain
4. France
5. Germany
6. South Africa
7. Taiwan

Students are advised to do their research when it comes to university selection. For help with university applications, students seeking to study abroad can contact our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors. The comments section below allows candidates to contact us as well.